KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — Manufacturing sales grew 4.5 per cent to RM124.6 billion in December 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, the highest growth since March 2020, said the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

Chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the year-on-year increase in December 2020 was driven by transport equipment and other manufactures products (20.5 per cent), food, beverages and tobacco products (7.9 per cent), and electrical and electronics products (4.2 per cent).

"On a monthly basis, the sales value rose by 3.9 per cent from November 2020,” he said in a statement in conjunction with the release of the department’s monthly manufacturing statistics for December 2020 on Monday.

However, Mohd Uzir said the total employees engaged in the manufacturing sector in December 2020 was 2.19 million persons, a decrease of 2.0 per cent compared to 2.24 million persons in December 2019.

The content of the report also stated that salaries and wages paid amounted to RM7,770.7 million, decreased by 0.8 per cent or RM59.7 million in December 2020 versus the same month of the preceding year.

"Simultaneously, the sales value per employee rose by 6.7 per cent to record RM56,644 compared to the same month in 2019.

"Meanwhile, the average salaries and wages per employee was RM3,533 in December 2020,” he said.

In summary for 2020, Mohd Uzir said the sales value of the manufacturing sector registered a decrease of 2.1 per cent to RM1,346.6 billion compared to the same period of 2019.

"The number of employees engaged during the period declined by 2.0 per cent to 2,199,195 persons while salaries and wages paid decreased by 1.1 per cent to RM87.2 billion.

"The sales value per employee during the reference period contracted by 0.2 per cent to RM612,324,” he added. — Bernama